85% of British Power via Renewables by 2030, Says Greenpeace

RenwableUK says there is no technical barrier to installing 55GW of wind energy by the report’s date. Photograph: Global Warming Images/Rex

Britain can produce 85% of its power via renewable energy by 2030 provided it undergoes significant changes in energy production and use, according to a new study by Greenpeace.

The study attempts to counter the argument that only fossil fuels and nuclear power can keep the lights on for the next few decades. It foresees wind leaping from today’s level of 13 gigawatts (GW) of wind farms in operation – enough to power around 10 million homes – to a level of 77GW in 2030, with solar rising from just more than 5GW to 28GW.